All the money raised for this charity goes to help children and young people from Oxfordshire participate in outdoor education. This might vary from a day to a week long course at any of Oxfordshire's Outdoor Learning Service's centres (www.oxfordshireoutdoorlearningservice.co.uk). The students learn about teamwork and leadership through personal and group challenges from forest activities for infants, to white water canoeing for secondary age children.
While courses are provided for all social, economic and educational groups this charity was set up to give financial support to those families who need assistance to allow their child to attend a course. (It was set up under the auspices of the Oxfordshire Outdoor Learning Trust). It also acts as a lasting memorial to Dave Thorne a teacher from Oxford who worked at Woodlands Outdoor Education centre for over 20 years but who sadly died in an accident whilst on holiday in the lake district. Dave's family, friends and colleagues felt that it would be a fitting tribute to a great man who gave so much of his life to aid children's development. My husband Dave Barber was a colleague and friend of Dave Thorne's at Woodlands. I am privileged to have know Dave Thorne and, through my work as a youth leader, to have seen the benefits that outdoor education brings to young people. The Dave Thorne Bursary was set up in 2008 and last year 18 bursaries were given and it is the trust's plan to double that number.
Here is an extract from a letter sent from a year 6 pupil helped by the bursary. "Thank you very much for helping me go to Kilvrough ...I did body boarding, rock climbing and surfing. I enjoyed body boarding the best and learned a lot about myself and my friends."
I am currently training hard and am trying to keep to a running schedule!! I believe that the effort will be worth while and hope that you are able to give generously to help more children have such important experiences.
Thank you
Jenny Barber
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